Drug Dealer's Family Guilty Of Conspiracy

The federal government's six-year pursuit of a Florida drug pirate's hidden treasure ended Monday in Hartford with the convictions of his septuagenarian parents, a brother, sister and brother-in-law.

A jury in U.S. District Court convicted James V. Monaco, Mary E. Monaco, David J. Monaco, Linda DeMaio and Michael DeMaio of conspiring to launder the drug profits of their imprisoned son and brother, Jimmy Monaco.

The jury found that the defendants helped conceal Jimmy Monaco's ownership of boats, cars and four pieces of Florida real estate, including a 5,000-square-foot waterfront home in Deerfield Beach, Fla.

Linda DeMaio, 46, the town clerk of Middlefield, buried her face in her hands as a clerk pronounced her guilty, then delivered similar verdicts against her husband, younger brother and parents.

``Oh, my God,'' she gasped.

Her 44-year-old husband, Michael DeMaio, shook his head. Her brother, David Monaco, 37, of Guilford, reddened and gulped a quick sip of water. Their parents, James, 79, and Mary, 72, of Branford, sat motionless.

All five face a maximum of five years in prison on the conspiracy charge. In addition, James, Mary and David Monaco were convicted of 74, four and 14 counts, respectively, of engaging in money-laundering transactions. Mary was acquitted of two other counts.

U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson continued their $100,000 nonsurety bonds and ordered them to appear for sentencing May 18. All five said they intend to appeal their convictions.

A jury of four men and eight women spent five days deliberating the evidence against the defendants, whose lawyers had portrayed them as victims of an overzealous Internal Revenue Service and Justice Department, as well as a vindictive former in-law, who told the IRS six years ago that they were hiding Jimmy Monaco's money.

``I think they worked very hard,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark G. Califano said of the jurors, who had listened to evidence and arguments for nearly three months. ``Very conscientious. It was an appropriate verdict.''

Califano smiled at the verdict and embraced his co-counsel, Jeffrey A. Meyer, and shook hands with the two IRS criminal investigators who led the investigation, George Francischelli and Lisa Kennedy.

Since the day before Thanksgiving, the government had chipped away at the facades of what appeared to be five ordinary, suburban lives.

Linda DeMaio had been re-elected as town clerk shortly before the trial began. Her husband, Michael, is a longtime technician at the state Department of Transportation. They live in a modest house, built over 10 months by a crew from a vocational school.

David Monaco is a former cost analyst at Textron-Lycoming. Jurors heard how his mother doted on him, bringing him dinner every night after he left the family home for a house of his own.

James Monaco spent his adult life as a painting contractor. Until his retirement, witnesses said he seldom was seen in anything but paint-spattered overalls. Suffering from arthritis and a heart condition, he took to a wheelchair halfway through the trial.

His wife, Mary, was his English war bride.

The government said that each benefited from the millions of dollars that Jimmy Monaco allegedly earned, by first smuggling drugs and later by pirating them from his would-be trading partners. Jimmy Monaco is serving a 55-year prison sentence for drug trafficking.

From the start, Mary Monaco professed indifference about what might await her husband and herself, but she said Monday after the verdicts that she had held out hope for the other defendants, especially the DeMaios.

The DeMaios were accused of holding title to one of Jimmy's homes, but their lawyers argued that Jimmy had unilaterally placed the property in their names after an arrest. During the trial, Linda often said that her husband came into the family knowing nothing of Jimmy.

Crying, she embraced him Monday as they left the court and said, ``I feel bad for you, Mick.''

``Don't worry about it,'' he said.

Convicted of just one count, the DeMaios might escape jail under federal sentencing guidelines. But prison is likely for the other three, unless the judge finds a reason under the guidelines for leniency.

David, convicted of 15 counts, faces a statutory maximum of 75 years; Mary, convicted of five counts, faces 25 years; and James, convicted of 76 counts, faces 380 years. As he left court in his wheelchair, James was asked if he had a comment.